


Fathers' Day - June

by WaltD



Series: Calendar Series [12]
Category: Forever Knight
Genre: Gen, Wade Everett
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-07
Updated: 2012-12-07
Packaged: 2017-11-20 13:09:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/585687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WaltD/pseuds/WaltD
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everybody's fathers - and they all have stories.  Eight vignettes, flashbacks, and conversations.  <br/>[Note: child abuse is mentioned.]</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fathers' Day - June

**Author's Note:**

> The Calendar Series starts after LK and runs from Aug to the following July. They assume FK is contemporary and on-going. Some stories feature an OC, Wade Everett, a new partner for Nick. 12th of 13.
> 
> The characters in Forever Knight were created by James Parriott and Barney Cohen and are the property of Sony/Columbia/Tri-Star. The stories here are fan fiction. This story may be archived wherever by whomever.

**  
**1 - Families  
 _  
My G-G-G-G-Generation - The Who  
_  
At a crime scene:  
  
"Well, I guess _he_ was unloved," said Natalie shaking her head, "All that money and what do you get for it?"  
  
"No kidding," said Nick, "any conclusions as to what happened yet?"  
  
"Oh, you're gonna love this: he was stabbed, shot, bludgeoned, choked, and poisoned," she smiled at him just waiting for his reaction.  
  
He said sarcastically, "Is that all?"  
  
"Pretty much."  
  
"Oh, good."  
  
She laughed, "Seriously, he was all that, and the problem is going to be determining the order in which these happened and which one was the COD."  
  
"You're serious."  
  
"Yes, and all the suspects are in the parlor.  Your partner is already questioning them."  
  
"And, they are . . . ."  
  
"Oh, the wife, the son, the daughter, Colonel Mustard, Mrs. White, and Miss Scarlet."  _(the last three are characters from the board game, "Clue".)_  
  
"What?"  
  
"Sorry.  The wife and the children."  
  
  
Nick walked into the Captain's office where Reese was talking with Dr. Lambert.  
  
"Hi, Cap.  Hi, Nat.  Anything yet?"  
  
"Oh, this is a fun one.  The gunshot would appear to be the fatal blow.  The brick that bludgeoned him came next, then the knife to his heart.  We can tell by the amounts of blood that flowed from the sites.  The poisoning and the choking were done at the same time, but didn't cause death – they would have, but the gunshot got to it first."  
  
Reese added, "Any idea of who did what?"  
  
"Forensics should give some idea.  His wife and two of the sons had GSR, there was blood spatter on another son and the daughter.  Fingerprints on the knife, but they aren't conclusive.  
  
"It would appear that they held him down, tied him up.  One of them held his nose opened while another dripped poison down his throat as a third tried to choke the life out of him.  And at the same time, the fourth shot him while another clonked his skull, and the next stabbed him in the heart," said Natalie.  
  
Nick mumbled to himself, "Must've been crowded around the body."  
  
Reese picked up with, "Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be anyway to pin down exactly who did exactly what, and a seventh one stayed in the parlor and is presumably innocent – didn't do any of the killing.  But which one was it?"  
  
Natalie continued, "Oh, and this is neat: We can show that the older son was the choker, but he claims he's not guilty of murder, 'cause someone else did the shooting.  And, one of the lawyers tried to claim that since the gunshot was first, that whoever stabbed him is guilty of, at most, mutilation of a corpse.  And they all claim to have acted alone and independently – trying to get out of conspiracy charges.  Or, that he or she was the one in the parlor and didn't take part at all, so they're innocent."  
  
Reese laughed, "Yeah, right!  It sounds like a soap opera. The crown should have fun with all these guys.  The sad thing is that there's so much money involved, it'll be years before anyone actually ends up in gaol."  
  
Reese added, "The kids sure hated their father, though.  I find it hard to believe someone could be that hated."  
  
  
Nick quietly thought of some of the things that LaCroix had done.   
  
 _Flashback 1 – various times from Nick's past  
  
Pavane for a dead princess - Ravel  
  
A collage of scenes from his past went through his mind: Stephane dead; his dog, Raleigh, destroyed; Daniel with his eyes glowing; the loft on fire and Alyce bitten and drained.   
  
Return to present.  
_  
He thought to himself that it was actually pretty easy to think why someone would kill a parent.  Depended on the parent.  He just shook his head.  
  
Reese and Natalie both looked at him shaking his head.  
  
"Unfortunately, in my experience with people, it's really all too easy to find reasons why, especially where money is involved."  
  
Natalie agreed.  "You've got that right," she said sadly.  
  
  
Conversation 1  
  
Nick left Reese's office and went back to his desk.  
  
Wade looked up and asked him, "What's wrong?"  
  
Nick shook his head.  "What some kids do to their parents."  
  
"Ah, and you feel guilty 'cause you wanted to the same thing to your step-father.  Right?"  
  
"Uh, yeah," Nick said, somewhat surprised.  "Is it that obvious?"  
  
"Duh!  I swear man, you look up guilty in the dictionary and it's gonna have your picture under it.  Still, have you considered what some parents have done to their kids?  
  
  
2 –  Fathers and Sons  
 _  
Papa Was a Rollin' Stone - The Temptations  
  
_ Out at another crime site:  
  
"What's the matter, Nick?" Wade asked.  
  
"Oh, it's the kids.  I hate it when a child is abused or murdered.  Especially murdered, because by the time we get to them, it's all over and done with.  Usually we can't do anything for the kid.  
  
"This boy here was beaten badly, but he's not actually dead, and the father over there seems to have taken a good beating himself.."  
  
"Yeah.  Any indications as to who did what?" Wade asked.  
  
"It would seem that the father was beating the son, and the kid fought back.  Forensics team is still working on it."  
  
  
Nick came over to Natalie.  He looked a question at her.  
  
She said, "They thought the kid was dead so the office was called.  By the time they knew he needed an ambulance, I was already here.  Child beating," looking right at Nick.  "They're questioning the father over there," she indicated with her thumb.  "I hope he didn't do it, but _you_ could check."  
  
Wade raised his eyebrows; and Natalie replied to him softly, "Nick has a gift when it comes to interviewing suspects and getting the truth out of them."  Wade nodded knowingly.  
  
In the interrogation room:  
  
"Do you know anyone else who might have done this?" Nick shouted with exasperation.  
  
Wade grabbed his arm and interrupted with "Easy, big guy."   
  
The boy's father, cowering away from Nick, was practically spitting, "Yeah, anybody who knew him.  He's a rotten kid."  
  
Nick left the room and went to his desk; Wade followed him out.  
  
Nick turned to Wade and said, "Both Natalie and I have an aversion to children being abused; we hate it, but we try not to let it colour our judgment.  Sometimes that's not easy."   Almost sub-vocally, he added, "And whammying him didn't work."  Nick sat at his desk and frowned.  
  
Wade said, "He believes he didn't do anything wrong."  
  
"Yeah, and he's complaining that the kid attacked him.  He wants to file charges".  
  
  
Reese came out of his office and worked over to the two detectives.  He said, "We just got some forensics.  The palm prints on the boy's body are consistent with the father's hands – don't you just love that: 'consistent with' – ah, lawyers.  And he still claims he didn't hit the kid?"  
  
"He claims he was justified; says the kid hit him first."  
  
"The kid's only 13!"  
  
"He's big for his age?  Hey, don't shout at me, it's the father's justification."  
  
  
 _Flashback 2   In a dark, dreary, room in Brabant circa 1210  
  
Funeral March for a Marionette -- Gounod  
  
"You'll do it till you get it right, that's how long you'll do it!" the priest shouted out.  
Nick took his hand and swept all the papers from the table to the floor.  
"How dare you!" shouted the teacher as he slapped Nick full in the face.  
"Tell my father what you will, magister, but you'll not strike me again – not without consequences".  He pulled his arm back and then struck the man soundly on the chin.  Young Nick turned and walked out of the room.  
The teacher stood looking at the retreating form.  He thought to himself that he would get even with the little brat eventually.   
  
End flashback.  
  
  
_ Conversation 2  
  
"He beat you, didn't he?" Wade said.  It was a statement not a question.  
  
"I don't want to talk about it, but, in a word, 'yes'."  
  
Wade turned to Nick and said, "You've fought back though."  
  
"Yes.  Under great provocation – "  
  
"Oh, you don't have to justify yourself to me.  Remember, I've met the man **_and_** have dealt with him.  I'm surprised it took 750 years."   
  
Nick said, smiling, "We have had some epic battles."  Wade continued, "And you know what child abuse is.  Tell you what!  You go and confess to Fr. Pierre that you want to kill a man who's tried to beat you, terrify you, kill anyone else you love, and let _him_ tell you to turn the other cheek.  I'm more likely to help you try."  
  
  
3 –  Friday Nights Fights  
 _  
What's the Matter with Kids Today – Bye, Bye, Birdie  
_  
In the bullpen:  
  
Wade told Reese, "The father claims he was just disciplining the boy, and that it's his right to do so."  
  
Nick said, "The boy said his father beat him all the time.  It looks like a he-said he-said situation"  
  
Wade nodded; he had seen a lot of those.  
  
Reese told them, "The doctors' reports indicate that the beatings were real, and hard.  We have that evidence.  It would appear that some of the bruising is older, so the kid may be right.  Anyway, it's up to the crown about prosecuting."  
  
At hospital, the boy is being questioned:  
  
"Hell, yeah!  Fine, I'll go to Juvie, Detention, jail!, I effing don't care as long as I don't have to put up with his ass any more."  
  
"Why are you so angry?"  
  
"Well, geez, dude.  Every time you open your mouth, you're wrong, even if you're just repeating what 'e said a minute ago.  I'm tired of it, I hurt.  Juvie may not be a picnic, but they won't beat me there, will they?  They won't, will they?" he said suddenly unsure and a bit worried.  
  
In the interrogation room:  
  
"Whaddaya mean he's going to Social Services?  I need him at home to help run things!"  
  
"If he were at home, he should be going to school not working at your business."  
  
"He's got enough ehjacashun, he needs to help me out if he wants a roof over his head.  I want him home."  
  
"Well, I'm sorry, _sir_ , but that's not going to happen."  
  
"I'll sue for custody!"  
  
"Yeah, you do that.  So, shut up or you're going to jail now."  
  
  
 _Flashback 3  In another dark, dreary place, some centuries later.  
  
Funeral March for a Marionette -- Gounod  
  
"You'll do it till you get it right, that's how long you'll do it!" LaCroix shouted.  
Nick took his hand and swept all the tools from the table to the floor.  
"How dare you!" LaCroix shouted as he slapped Nick full force with the palm of his hand.  He knocked Nick over and left him sprawling on the ground.  
Nick sat up, pulled himself together, got up from the floor, and stood in front of the fuming LaCroix.  Without warning Nick struck LaCroix in the stomach doubling him over, and then one-two punched him on the chin.  
"Do whatever you will,' master' – he said the word as if it were a curse -- , but if you try to hit me again, I'll kill you."  Nick's eyes glowed so red-gold that even LaCroix was taken aback.  Nick turned and started to leave the room.  
LaCroix stared at Nick's retreating back.  He thought he was going to have to teach the young vampire a firmer lesson.  
  
Back to the present  
_  
Back at the Division:  
  
"There's a dysfunctional family if there ever was one," Reese said.  
  
Both Nick and Wade nodded in agreement.  
  
"What's going to happen?" Wade asked.  
  
Reese shook his head, "He'll be let go.  Low bail if nothing else.  And the kid'll go home, too.  By this time tomorrow, they'll both claim it was just a little misunderstanding."  
  
  
Conversation 3  
  
"I leave for a while but he eventually finds me.  He comes after me every time.  A couple of times he's left me alone for 15, 20 years."  
  
"Hallelujah!" Wade said somewhat derisively.   
  
"He was – ah.  I was going to say lonely, that I'm his only relative, but that's kind of a lame excuse."  
  
"Yeah, kind of."  Wade chuckled again.  
  
"Will you stop laughing?  This is serious."  
  
"Yes.  It is.  And the guy won't even let you run away.  How inconsiderate."  
  
  
4 –  Sons and Fathers  
  
 _Oh, Danny, boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling  
\-- Danny Boy, Trad. Irish tune  
_  
Yet another crime scene, a large overgrown field:  
  
"I hate it, I hate it, I hate it!" Natalie cried out.  
  
"Nat!"  Nick said.  
  
"Kids, why do they kill kids?"  
  
"I thought you put these cases off onto Tenaka?"  
  
"Do.  But he's on vacation, and everybody else is out."  
  
"I'm sorry," he said with sympathy, "Any info?"  
  
"Strangulation.  Seems pretty straight forward.  Time's iffy but say four to five days?  We can get more specific with the autopsy, stomach contents, that sort of thing.  Too early to tell if there was anything sexual.  Was this a missing child, or was he just found?"  
  
"Just found.  Thanks, Nat, and don't worry, we'll get find who did this."  
  
  
Nick and Wade were listening to Reese, "This is the third kid in two months; is this a serial killer?  The uniforms have skimmed the area, he seems to have been dumped.  Doesn't look like it was sexual, thank god.  Forensics has some tyre treads, they look pretty distinctive so they may be in a database."  
  
Wade, "I'll check it on the computers."  
  
In one of the interrogation rooms:  
  
Wade was standing over the man, glaring down at him; he had a computer printout in his hand as he spoke to him loudly and shaking the papers at him:  
  
"Sir, your car was at the dump site, the boy was in your car, we have the evidence.  Please, what you say may be taken down and used in evidence against you."  
  
The middle aged man sobbed, "It was an accident.  I panicked; I didn't know what to do."  
  
  
Outside the interrogation room's window, the uniform standing next to Nick said to Nick, "That's a crock.  He was using the kid as a slave.  The place is a mess.  Kid's got no bed, just a dirty mattress."   
  
Nick said, "We're still checking to see if he's the biological father."  
  
The 'father' continued, "Well, he wouldn't obey me.  I told him what to do and he wouldn't do it.  I only hit him a little. It's not my fault he fell and hit his head.  Wouldn't have happened at all if he'd paid attention and done what he was told.  I think he slipped on purpose."  
  
"!"  
  
  
 _Flashback 4 – various times from Nick's past.  
  
Intercut scenes of Nick and some of the women he had loved: Stephane, Alexandra, others that LaCroix set him up for.  
             
Picking up from the end of the last flashback:  
  
Nick was proceeding to the room's door.  
LaCroix shouted at Nick! "Stop!"  Nick turned and faced him with both of them baring their fangs and golden eyes.   
LaCroix hissed.  
Nick said, "I'm leaving.  Period.  I don't have to put up with you.  You can try to stop me, but I'll walk if I can't run,  I'll crawl if I can't walk.  The only way you can stop me is to kill me, and you know it.  And if you hit me anymore, I may try to kill you.  Again.  I've tried it before.  I thought I succeeded before.  But this time I'll stick around and make sure."   
  
Cut to scenes from Dark Knight, the fire in Nick's loft and his throwing the burning stake directly at LaCroix.  
  
I don't care what you say anymore, this is my life  
Go ahead with your own life, and leave me alone  
\-- My Life, Billy Joel  
  
End flashback.  
_  
"All these kids and their dads – makes you wonder," said Captain Reese, shaking his head.  "It's this sort of thing that makes Father's Day a bitch!"  
  
"It's sad, really," said Natalie.   
  
"Makes me want to sign up for Big Brothers," said Wade.  
  
"Why don't you?", Natalie asked.  
  
Nick cut in and replied, "Night work.  We're on a night schedule and sleep during the day, but the kids aren't."  
  
  
Conversation 4  
  
"And, four or five years ago he tried to frame you for murder so that you would have to move on, presumably with him.  Isn't killing your spirit even worse than killing you?," Wade asked.  
  
Nick said to Wade, "He doesn't believe in the spirit."  
  
"Well," said Wade, exasperated, "it's not his spirit, is it?"  
  
"You're right.  I need to have a life of my own.  And I need to just go out and have it.  I don't need his permission."  
  
"Well, glory be to God.  I think he's got it!"  
  
"Yeah, but it's easier to say than to do."  
  
"Turning the other cheek and walking away when someone has effectively tried to kill you _is_ kind of a turn-off," Wade said. "but you're learning."  
  
  
5 – Reese's Pieces  
  
 _This old man, he played one,  
He played knick-knack on my thumb . . .  
\-- This Old Man, trad.  
_  
Knight and Everett were at their desk going over the cases and filling out their reports, when squeals erupted from Reese's office, followed by his baritone voice saying loudly, "Now, you stop that!" followed by a female voice lightly laughing.  
  
"C'mon, you two.  You've given your father his present, and now we have to go home because _you_ , missy, have a test tomorrow, and your brother needs his rest."  She nodded to Joe and continued, "His _mother_ needs his rest!"  
  
Joe smiled; or, more accurately, he beamed as he and his wife, Denise, came walking out of his office while Tammy and Joe, Jr. tumbled out of it.  
  
"Nick, you know Denise," Reese said.  
  
"Hello, Denise"    "How are you, Nick."  
  
"Denise, this is our new detective, Wade Everett"  
  
"Very pleased to meet you, Mrs. Reese."  
  
"A pleasure, detective."  
  
They followed with a little small talk.  Reese introduced the children, but they might as well have been on another planet for all the attention they paid to the grown-ups.  They were too excited about being at the Division.  Apparently they didn't get down to their father's workplace often enough to satisfy their curiosity, and they were making the most of the situation.  Reese finally got them corralled and ushered off the floor.  
  
"Kids," Reese said to himself, with a smile.  
  
  
 _Flashback 5 – Fade-out to Reese's office in "Black Buddha"  
  
Music from "Black Buddha" – Fred Mollin  
  
Reese has his fingers on a piece of chocolate in the box that is apparently one of Vudu's bombs.  Nick had just entered the office.  
"How did you get here. We were just on the phone."  
"I flew," Nick said.   
Nick places his hand on the chocolate so that Reese can take his hand off.   
Joe asks Nick 'Why?".  
It may sound like Nick is trying to whammy Reese to get him out of there, but his sincerity is obvious.  
"Because you have kids?  I don't."  
Reese' runs out of the office.  
  
Back to the present -- Fade-in to Nick in exactly the same position as Reese was at the fade-out:  
_  
"Kids," Nick said to himself, with a smile.  
  
  
"They seem like great kids, Cap," Wade said.  
  
"They are, they are, but they're a handful, too.  I don't know how Denise does it _and_ teach school, too.  Oh, will you look at this?"  
  
The captain held out the loudest tie any of them had ever seen.  
  
"Does that have a volume control?" asked Wade with a chuckle.  
  
Reese laughed, "They pick these wild ties for me so they can spot me easily if I'm on TV or something."  He looked closely at his detectives and said, "You didn't think I actually picked out these things out myself, did you?"  
  
Nick just smiled.  Wade said, "'Course not, Cap.  Nobody in his right mind wou– Oh—"  
  
"That's o.k., son, they may be godawful ties, but they're godawful ties from _my_ kids.  I keep a plain black tie in my desk if something official comes up."  
  
"What about the kids?"  
  
"Oh, I tell them I spilled water from the fountain over there," he grimaced thinking about the damn water fountain, "and it stained."  ( _That fountain has_ never _worked for Reese.)_  
  
"Are those reports about done? If you get them in today, they'll make the monthly statistics."  
  
"Almost, Captain," Nick replied, "we'll have them for you before the shift is over."  
  
  
Conversation 5  
  
Wade:  What you need to keep in mind is that he does care for you in a twisted way. Let him know that you appreciate what he has done for you – yeah, yeah, I know, bite the bullet – Then, let him know your limits.  And in doing that –  
  
Nick:  I establish control over myself.  Again, easier said than done.  
  
Wade:  Harder than his trying to kill you?  Harder than your trying not to kill him?  Harder than not drinking human blood for 150 years?  
  
Nick:  Yeah, that.  
  
Wade:  What you can do is that if you can't force him to be a good father, you can try to be the best son there is.  
  
Nick:  Which does not mean catering to his every whim.  Do not be an enabler.  Right?  
  
Wade (as if in an aside): I think the kid is catching on!  
  
  
6 –  Other Fathers  
  
 _This old man, he played two,  
He played knick-knack on my shoe . . .  
\-- This Old Man, trad.  
_  
Nick and Wade are still in the Bullpen:  
  
"Great kids, great Dad!" Wade said to Nick.  
  
"They are," he said, "and he is.  He doesn't like them coming down here 'cause of all the stuff we have to deal with, but he wants those ties, believe me.  He doesn't have to wear them around here, but he does."  
  
"That's nice," said Wade.  "My father died suddenly a few years ago, and I miss that camaraderie we had.  He was a nice guy.  He was considerably older when I was born ---  
  
 _  
Flashback 6 -- with Wade's monologue continuing in a voice-over:  
  
Just the Two of Us – Bill Withers  
  
The scene is a young, blond high school student – obviously Wade -- and his father sitting down to breakfast.  His dad has made breakfast and is serving it to the young Wade.   
Wade's voice:  
  
\--- so he had retired by the time I was in High School.  My mother was still working and left early for work.  Dad made my breakfast and we'd talk."   
            Wade sounded a like he was getting just a little choked up.  "It was really nice 'cause I got to know him a little better."  
  
Back to the present with Nick interrupting Wade:  
_  
"You were close?" Nick asked.  
  
"Some, but It wasn't closeness – we really weren't very much alike at all, but, well, it was special.  It was just him and me, us guys."  
  
"You seem a little sad."  
  
"I miss him.  And he didn't get to see me graduate from college.  He was determined for me to go, he sacrificed to make sure I had the advantages that he didn't."        
  
Wade sighed.  "I wish I had appreciated it more at the time, but being stupid is a part of being that young."  
  
Nick spoke: "I'm sure he realized that you appreciated it."  
  
"Oh, yeah, but I wish I'd been able to tell him.  It's why I pushed myself to succeed, to make him proud."  
  
  
"Hey, here's a thought: what's Tracy's relationship with her father?" Wade asked Nick.  
  
"Strained?  You should ask her.  They've had their problems.  Like a lot of fathers, he wants to protect her; and like a lot of children, she wants to make it on her own."  
  
Nick laughed, and Wade looked at him with a question.  
  
"Oh, I was just remembering.  Tracy's pretty good about her father.  She's only pulled rank once, and that was on him!"  
  
"Must have been cute."  
  
"Was.  But you gotta promise me not to tell anyone; nobody else is supposed to know."  
  
"And . . . ."  
  
  
Conversation 6  
  
"What about your real father, Nick?  What was he like?"  
  
"Ah, distant.  But that's what the times were like.  Children were raised by nannies and nurses.  My mother got a few critical looks because she took an active part in raising my brother, my sister, and me.  
  
"It's nice to see a nice family like the Captain's.  It offsets some of the horrors we've had to deal with this week.  Maybe there's hope for humanity, after all."  He had a wistful, longing smile on his face as he spoke.  
  
"Do you miss not having been close to your Dad?" Wade asked.  
  
"No, because I like I said, it was the times.  Now the step-father I've got . . . ," his voice trailed off.  
  
Wade raised his eyebrows.  
  
"That's a story for another time," he said.  
  
"Indeed," said Wade.  
  
  
7 –  Some Daughters  
  
 _This old man, he played three,  
He played knick-knack on my knee . . .  
\-- This Old Man, trad.  
_  
"And . . . , c'mon, you can't leave me hanging like that.  What happened?"  
  
  
 _Flashback 7  
  
_ _It's my life and I'll do what I want  
            It's my mind and I'll think what I want_ _  
\-- It's My Life, the Animals  
  
From "Trace Elements" by W Doherty.  
  
Tracy is in the hospital and talking with her father:  
  
"What can I do for you, sweetheart?"  
"You can drop the investigation on Nick."  
"Tracy!  He's respons—"  
"NO!" she said flatly, coldly, pointedly, "get this through your parental blinders: Nick is not responsible for my getting shot.  *I* am.  Nick did not know I was there; I shouldn't have been where I was."  
The Commissioner, "No, Tracy, he was reckless in going after the man—"  
"Commissioner Vetter!  Good, that got your attention.  Dad, if you pursue this, you'll get nothing but grief.  Nick is innocent of anything involving me, I've already told I.A. that, and if you don't drop it, I'll tell them that you're trying to unfairly influence the outcome of an internal investigation."  
"Tracy, you can't be ser—"  
"Serious?" Tracy said angrily, "Oh, but I can.  Try me, 'Daddy'.  I'm not a little girl anymore, and I'm not a naïf, either.  If you want to be mad at Nick, go ahead, but be clear about this.  He's my partner, and a good one, and if you go up against him, I'll stand with him."  
  
(Later, Tracy and Captain Reese are talking:)  
  
"Don't worry about it, Tracy.  The report is finished and all but written up.  Nick is completely exonerated, I'm getting a minor reprimand that I should've had the guy in cuffs.  
"Constable Miller is getting a reprimand for letting him get her gun, you are getting a reprimand for 'needlessly putting yourself in the line of fire'.   
"It's balanced by a commendation for supporting your partner, showing bravery, and taking action immediately.  
"So, all things considered, it's pretty favorable.  Except your father is having fits—"  
"I know he is, Captain.  But not to worry, I've already talked to him about it and he won't say anything else about it."  Tracy giggled a little.  
Reese look at her and said, "Tracy?"  
"Oh, Cap, I was just thinking about the 'Commissioner's Daughter' thing – you know what I mean, it's why you paired me up with Nick in the first place – well, I finally pulled rank and used it on somebody."  Here she was laughing more openly, "and the person I pull it on is the 'Commissioner'.  Don't you think there's a bit of irony there?"  
Reese chuckled and added, "I think you're right, Detective Vetter, Miss Police-Commissioner's-daughter!"  
  
Back to the present._  
  
"But you would've been cleared."  
  
"Sure, but there still would have been a cloud over me.  Another irony about all that was that 'my father' – LaCroix – tried to use the incident to get me to move on.  He didn't realize Tracy had already pulled rank on her father.  
  
"So," Wade said, "she dealt a one-two punch."  
  
"Right," added Nick, " _and_ while flat on her back in a hospital bed.  She's good; a lot better than she gives herself credit for."  
  
  
Conversation 7  
  
"Sure wish I could deal with LaCroix like Tracy does with her dad.  She loves him, but she knows how to deal with him."  
  
"Ah, now you're asking for miracles."  
  
"I guess I've still got a lot of work to do on my relationship with LaCroix.  
  
"Ya think?"  
  
"Yeah, I think!  
  
  
8 –  Other Sons  
  
 _This old man, he played four,  
He played knick-knack on my door . . .  
\-- This Old Man, trad.  
_  
Wade looked down at their desks, and there was a big envelope on Nick's.   
  
"Hey, Nick, what's this on your desk?"  
  
Nick looked down, picked up the card that had been dropped off.  He opened it and looked at it and smiled.  
  
"Ah, it's from the Johnsons.  You remember Freddy Johnson and his wife.  They sent me a father's day a card to thank me for helping him become a father.  You remember, it was New Year's Eve . . ."  
  
  
 _Flashback 8 – previous New Year's Eve  
  
What are you doing New Year's, New Year's Eve?  
\-- What are you doing New Year's, Frank Loesser  
  
The scene is of Nick at the backdoor of a car with a women inside giving birth, Nick is the 'attending' aide.  He's a little green at seeing blood, but he manages to control himself.   
  
From "Birthdays" by W Doherty:  
  
Nick shouted over to his partner, "Wade call dispatch.  Ambulance, baby, now!"  
He turned to the young, about-to-be father and said, "Kid, it's too late for hospitals.  Go over to my car and get some blankets from the trunk; my partner's got the keys.  Now!!  Do it!"   
It wasn't so much that Nick needed the blankets as it was to give the expectant father something to do.  _ And _get him out of the way.  
He threw open the car's back door.  
"O.k., young lady, I'm a police officer, and I've done this before, so there's nothing to worry about.  What's your name?"  
A shaky, scared voice replied, "M-, Marge."  
"O.k. Hi, Marge.  I'm Nick.  I always think it's good in these situations to introduce each other 'cause we're going to be rather intimate for a little," he said trying to distract her and cheer her up.  
\- - -  
Nick held up the messy, little 'Frederick Nicholas' (they later named him after his father and Nick) and put him on his mother' chest.  
  
End flashback.  
_  
"Now that's a _real_ Father's Day," said Nick.  
  
"Yeah, Father's Day.  A son can be something else," Wade said.  
  
"So can fathers," added Nick.  
  
  
Conversation 8  
  
"Hey, c'mon" Nick said, "Let's get goin' on those reports so we can get out of here.  I want to get this old guy I've known for a long time a Father's Day card."  
  
  
\-- 0 --  



End file.
